Forty Minutes
by MCTVFan
Summary: Sharon contemplates what's holding her back from moving forward and moving in with Andy. One-shot from Tumblr.


This little one-shot came from some random thoughts I was having about Sharon's inner turmoil about whether or not to move in with Andy. I had shared my thoughts on Tumblr, and another user suggested I turn it into a story. This is the result. As always, I welcome any and all feedback. Those of you reading "Under Different Circumstances", don't worry, another chapter is forthcoming. I just wanted to make sure this posted before Monday's episode.

I do not own Major Crimes or any of the fabulous characters. That honor belongs to James Duff and co. I just enjoy writing about them.

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Sharon enjoyed the solitude of an empty car. Just her, the open road, and her thoughts to keep her company. This particular drive found her mind quite occupied. She had been doing a lot of thinking ever since Andy brought up the idea of moving in together. The question had been hanging in the air above them ever since. They had discussed it over dinner after wrapping up the Amanda Pond case. Sharon had let him know that she was open to the idea, but she wasn't prepared to make any definitive decisions. Andy had accepted her response. In the weeks since, she had found herself ruminating on it frequently.

She loved Andy: truly, deeply loved him. And as much as that scared her, she had accepted, and even welcomed, her feelings after the initial shock wore off of finding love, especially one so deep, at this point in her life. Truth be told, they were already spending quite a lot of nights together since they had made the decision to become intimate and to share all of themselves with each other. Looking back, Sharon had been hesitant about that as well, but once it finally happened, it felt natural and right. It also felt amazing, but she couldn't allow her thoughts to digress right now. And truthfully, she really enjoyed spending her nights wrapped up with him in bed and waking up to his warmth and embrace in the morning. She liked that a lot. So the thought of doing it every day was very tempting. And yet, there was something holding her back.

She could easily blame Jack and all of the emotional damage he caused her. But, upon further reflection, she found it to be the easy way out. Besides, she certainly didn't want her ex-husband coming between her and Andy or her and happiness. He certainly played a role in her caution, but it was more complicated than that, she decided. The truth was, she didn't need a relationship in her life, even one as fulfilling as what she had with Andy. She was happy. She had three amazing kids, a fantastic job, easy independence, and financial freedom. She could have lived the rest of her life like that and been perfectly happy.

But then she went and fell in love with Andy Flynn. The man she used to despise. The man she used to want to throttle. The man who became a very good friend. The man who stole her heart. The man who she suddenly couldn't picture her life without. And that was really the crux of it all. She had no plans of sharing her life, her home, her future with another person unless she was playing for keeps. Unless she was planning on spending the rest of her life with that person. Unless she wanted to stay wrapped up in his arms and heart forever. And admitting all of that to herself felt too big, too emotional. It stole her breath, sped up her heart, and left her feeling uneasy.

And yet, she had let these treacherous thoughts enter her mind and take up residence in her heart. Truthfully, she had let them in long before he asked her to move in with him. Somewhere deep down, she knew the truth. She knew what her heart was screaming at her, but her mind was refusing to listen to like a petulant child with his fingers in his ears. Whether she and Andy moved in together or not, she was already in that place. She wanted forever with him.

Once the thought broke through, the truth reached her mind. It settled there and began to take root. She steered her car into the short driveway and turned off the ignition. She paused for a moment to let her realization encompass her fully. She wiped at the tears that pricked her eyes, the weight of her discovery overwhelming her suddenly. She looked out her window and saw the man she had spent the last forty minutes thinking about. He was walking out of his front door towards her car to meet her. She reached over and grabbed the takeout she had picked up for dinner.

She exited her car with the plastic takeout bag and took measured steps towards the man greeting her with a big smile. That smile that warmed her heart and her soul. That smile that was just for her. As she got closer to him, she put the food bag down on the walkway and wrapped her arms around him. Suddenly, all of her inner turmoil disappeared, leaving her mind clear. He seemed surprised by her show of affection. When she pulled away slightly, he kept her encircled in his arms. He noticed the wetness shining in her eyes.

"I'm ready to live our life together. You and me and whatever the future holds," she whispered, emotion painting her words. He smiled.

"Does that mean you're ready to go house hunting?" He asked tentatively. She nodded.

"Yes, and to admit that I'm not going anywhere. This is what I want. You are what I want. You're it for me," she managed before a small sob snuck out and filled her eyes with unshed tears. Andy felt his own emotions taking over, and he struggled to keep them at bay.

"Sharon, you're all I want today and for the rest of my days. I wouldn't have asked you to move in together if you weren't," he whispered. She closed her eyes and allowed the tears to run down her face. He caught them with his thumbs and wiped them away. He leaned in and kissed her passionately.

It was a promise that Sharon hadn't realized her heart and mind were ready to make, and yet, nothing had felt more right. What a difference forty minutes could make. Forty minutes that neither of them would soon have to spend in the car again to see each other.

THE END


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